Question

Works:

AND UPPER(a.name) = b.lname(+)

does not work

AND UPPER(a.name) = UPPER(b.lname) (+)

Moving to ANSI joins is an option but a painstaking one. This code should be changed in lot of places and there are lot of joins. I would like to get this syntax correct and be on my way.

Is it possible?

Answer 1

Yuckiness aside, incorporating UPPER() with the old skool OUTER JOIN syntax is simplicity itself: we just need to get the brackets in the right order:

SQL> select t23.name
  2         , d.university
  3  from t23
  4       , t_doctors d
  5  where upper(t23.name) = upper(d.name(+))
  6  order by t23.id
  7  /

NAME         UNIVERSITY
------------ --------------------
SAM-I-AM
MR KNOX
FOX IN SOCKS
CAT
LORAX
BILLY
MAISIE
DR SINATRA   Whoville U
DR FONZ      U of Grin-itch
PINNER BLINN

10 rows selected.

SQL> 

Here is how to deploy the newer syntax with multiple tables:

SQL> select t23.name
  2         , d.university
  3         , k.school
  4  from t23
  5       left outer join t_doctors d
  6                  on upper(t23.name) = upper(d.name)
  7       left outer join t_kids k
  8                  on upper(t23.name) = upper(k.name)
  9  order by t23.id
 10  /

NAME         UNIVERSITY           SCHOOL
------------ -------------------- --------------------
SAM-I-AM                          Mulberry St Junior
MR KNOX
FOX IN SOCKS
CAT
LORAX
BILLY                             Roover River High
MAISIE                            Roover River High
DR SINATRA   Whoville U
DR FONZ      U of Grin-itch
PINNER BLINN

10 rows selected.

SQL>